Orica fined almost $500,000 for cyanide pollution

A Queensland chemical company which pumped water contaminated with cyanide into Gladstone Harbour has been hit with a bill for nearly half a million dollars.

Orica Australia has been ordered to pay $432,000 towards turtle research, and conservation and water monitoring initiatives in Gladstone Harbour.

The company was also ordered to pay over $53,000 in legal and investigation costs.

Environment Minister Andrew Powell says it is the first time a court has imposed public benefit orders under the Environmental Protection Act to restore or enhance the environment.

"The (Gladstone Magistrates) Court has ordered that $100,000 will be allocated for turtle research at Port Curtis, $90,000 for Conservation Volunteers Australia's Gladstone program and $60,000 for the Gladstone Healthy Harbour Partnership," Mr Powell said in a statement.

The minister said one charge related to an unauthorised release of cyanide through stormwater in 2010, which was detected during a visit by inspectors during a period of heavy rain.

"The other charges relate to unauthorised releases of effluent containing cyanide," he said.

Orica pleaded guilty to four counts of contravening a condition of a development approval under the Environmental Protection Act 1994.